The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, releases Visions by John Rutter for choristers, solo violin and orchestra under the direction of Daniel Hyde, featuring Britten Sinfonia.
Released 22 March 2024
ABOUT JOHN RUTTER: VISIONS
“‘Jerusalem’ is of course more than the name of a middle-eastern city: it stands as a symbol both of God’s people and of a utopian ideal of heavenly peace and seraphic bliss in store for redeemed humanity. I chose four biblical texts which express different aspects of this vision – (1) an introductory description of the imagined city in the words and Gregorian melody of a medieval hymn familiar in the English version beginning ‘Blessed city, heavenly Salem’; (2) Isaiah’s prophetic vision of the coming of Messiah, followed by a lively section which might be a dance of the daughters of Jerusalem; (3) a lament for the desolation of Sion, using a transmuted fragment of both text and melody line from William Byrd’s anthem Bow thine ear, O Lord; and (4), a beatific vision of the holy city as seen by St John in the Book of Revelation.”
– John Rutter
“I was delighted that we were able to record John’s Visions last year. For the choristers to have the chance to work with chamber musicians of the calibre of Britten Sinfonia was an especial luxury – the end results ring around in the chapel acoustic, so ably captured by David Hinitt and Adrian Peacock.”
– Daniel Hyde, Director of Music, King’s College
